Friday Five: Links that Help

The Friday Five is our weekly roundup of links to smart articles and helpful resources about end-of-life issues and caregiver needs.

1. We've mentioned The Conversation Project in previous Friday Fives, and now there's a companion piece to the project about how to talk to your doctor. The toolkit of information offers worksheets, scripts, key terms, and more. Learn more about the project and the toolkit in the linked article.

2.  Not only is it important to do something, but it's usually even better if you can do it effectively. This blog article explains how that applies to end-of-life plans too. Your plans become more effective when you have a meaningful conversation with loved ones about your choices, when you choose a healthcare agent or medical power of attorney who would be willing to stay true to the choices you've outlined, and when you prepare for end-of-life needs before a crisis situation develops.

3. Given our work, you can imagine how glad we are to see End-of-Life Care recognized as a Great Challenge by TEDMED. Part of finding a solution to a problem is through open discussion. Check out the discussion that's happening on the TEDMED section, Coming to Grips with End-of-Life Care.

4. The official government website for Medicare offers a small handful of downloadable pdfs of helpful caregiver resources. The handouts cover the basics, from what you need to know to finding community resources to self-care. Caregiving is hard, but arming yourself with knowledge about it can strengthen your abilities.

5. We love these communication tips from the American Heart Association. Aside from just general communication tips, their tips are organized by who you're trying to communicate with. We appreciate that the association recognizes that your communication needs are different, depending on if you're talking to a family member or a healthcare professional.